THE MARTYRDOM OF SERBIA.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 14074, 18 August 1916, Page 7

THE MARTYRDOM OF SERBIA.

Descnb'iig bis own personal experiences whilo acting as nn Australian cor-ff.p.i-'ondftT't Vlm-SoT the invasion of fierhie. 'NI. Rnda-ftodr, Fays that on the !">ad. tn ihf\ frontier l«n took mqny exhausted reverses iv lus car. but soon the car was ovprcruwded "They meet a woman with a child on her

back. Her face is tanned aoid weather-beaten, her mouth wide open, her teeth gleam like pearls, and m the icy air her breath envelopes her liko a cloud. Sho walks swiftly and courageously, her tattered clothes fluttering "m : the storm. (Stop! Hero is the car. jcou can come m. . . . fcjhe stops, tier lips move, but sho cannot speak. . . lier breast heaves liko an engine. At last she stammers m a lioar.se voice, "Only the child!" She was oifered a piaco of bread, and meat, and immediately gavo it to the child, a girl of four yi-ai's. Sho was given another piece, and pu.t it m her pocket, saying, 'For to-morrow. .... For the child. . . . A few yards further on they; see four men sitting down beside a small tire, nodding drowsily. Three of the men are young and one old. Doubtless they are Serbian soldiers disguised m civilian clothes. The correspondent rej minda them of the danger of getting frozen, but they do not move. . Foive is needed to compel them to leave thsir place and come into the car. Further along the road stands an old man, extraordinarily tall; the wind lashes his long whits beard and hair. He stands there, bowed and leaning on a long staff. . . tho true symbol of . the martyred and down-trodden Serbian nat.on. What was to become of him ?^ The car is full, and by the time, t^he human load 'has been safely borne to Usce, v.nd tlie car has returned, his iate will be sealed. It is 'about 15 miles to Uscc, and iu.tho preseu.t state of the roads that moans a . journey, of five hours. : The car passes..' the old num. is left behind. The snowstorm increases, and soon, TKi-y soon the Serbian Almsver will lie buried under : a snowdrift. . . . A turned yes ..onco ;, more towards' him," say;} .the correspondent, "and I frankly admit that I. never again wish to see, a look like that which gazed u poii me from tho blue, faded eyes ot the old man."